Chronological and political information

Era(s)

When first introduced, the awkward NR-5 was considered the perfect maintenance droid. Intelligent and skilled enough to carry out a wide variety of tasks, but not so curious as to get itself into trouble, the NR-5 was hugely popular with individuals who needed additional technical help they could count on. At only 0.7 meters tall, the droid fit into most repair bays without modifications, its three limbs made it handy, and its square head and round body were often seen as cute. NR-5s were famous for their determination, which could be seen as both a boon and a liability. Some NR-5s refused to leave their jobs until they had been completed.

The only problem with the NR-5 series was that the droid wasn't particularly sturdy. Though it worked fine in the clean environment of a starship, it often didn't do well in the harsh conditions of Outer Rimworlds. When the R4 droid was introduced by Industrial Automaton, sales of the NR-5 dropped considerably. Still, in gentle conditions the NR-5 generally did a better job than the R4, and many remained in use well into The New Jedi Order era. Since it was cheaper than an R-series droid, it remained popular with freightercaptains.